Explore the Cotswolds with Manor Cottages

The Cotswolds is an area that I am ashamed to say I have never really explored, although we have touched on them.
Did you know that the Cotswolds cover nearly 800 square miles across five counties (Wiltshire, Gloucestershire,Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire) and is the biggest of the 38 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales.
The “wolds”, literally meaning rolling hills, is home to hundreds of pretty villages and whilst each one has its own flavour, most of them share a similar aesthetic thanks to the gorgeous Cotswold stone they are cut from. We fell in love with Bourton-on-Water with its shallow river and pretty bridges and only wish we had time to explore some more.

We were invited to review Talbot Cottage with Manor Cottages, which is set in the heart of Stowe on the Wold.

The property is a stunning three bedroom, detached house built using Cotswold Stone. It has been within the same family for generations and has been lovingly renovated, with a real attention to detail and a delightful art deco ‘twist’ making it unique yet homely and very appealing.

I was a little disappointed that the weather was so warm as I was itching to light the log burner, but the lounge was comfy and cosy without needing it lit.

Although there were no toys for the kids to play with, there was equipment baby equipment should you need it and a few board games to get stuck into.

The kitchen is well equipped with a fridge/freezer, washing machine, oven, microwave, dishwasher, kettle and all the cooking and dining equipment you could possibly need.

As a welcome gift we were left a bowl of fruit, pack of local biscuits, locally made ground coffee for the cafetiere and in the fridge we also found a bottle of Prosecco and two pints of milk which I thought was a lovely touch.

The kitchen also had a hatch through to the dining room, which the kids found to be a real novelty.

Downstairs there was also a toilet and a large dining room.

Even the stairs were so appealing they made you want to explore.

Each of the bedrooms were beautifully decorated and came with plenty of storage, a hairdryer and a sink unit.
 

Only the master bedroom had a TV though, so I lost out to the boys as they wanted to watch Canonball and then I didn’t want to move them as they looked so comfy.

The small room was perfect for my pink princess and there was another single bed tucked under hers if you needed to sleep any more people.

The bathroom was well equipped with a shower over the bath, basin and toilet.

Many of the original features such as the wooden staircase and floors have been beautifully retained and run through the ground floor of the property.

Outside is a large garden that wraps around the house, which the kids adored. They found a summer-house to play in, complete with a play tea set, a fairy house and lots of plants and flowers to admire.

The only thing to mention about the garden is that it backs onto a busy main road and junction, so it isn’t as quiet and peaceful as it looks, although the house was lovely and quiet inside.

Although the house is set just off the main road there is ample off street parking for up to three cars too.

The cottage is close to local amenities too, with a Tesco Superstore a five-minute walk away, a pub and a church directly opposite, the high street a few yards away and stunning views over the countryside from the front of the house.

Talbot Cottage is a great base for exploring Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford and many other of delights that the Cotswolds boast. We ventured to Cotswold Wildlife Park and Birdland Park and Gardens as well as looking around some of the quaint villages during our stay.

Manor Cottages is a Cotswolds based holiday cottage business who have been letting holiday cottages for over 25 years and offer the widest selection of the best self-catering properties available in the Cotswolds and far beyond.
Disclaimer: We received a weekend break to Talbot Cottage for the purpose of a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

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